The Shadow Cast from Sin

by Jagabor

This hyena cub committed no crime. And still, he was born a sin. No sin goes unpunished. He has a long road of suffering ahead of him. But roads can often be unpredictable. He'll come to realize that true sins are found in purity. And Shadows be not pure.

3. The Brother of Sin

The Brother of Sin

Edaha slowly opened one eye, and then the other. The young hyena blinked a few times and looked around the den. His father lay sleeping several feet away from him, Bellow close to his master's side. Edaha smiled to himself. With the two of them asleep, he was free to explore Mamlaka for any clues as to what happened to his mother. Carefully, Edaha got to his feet, stretching his limbs. A loud crack sounded throughout the den as Edaha's right leg lossened up. The young hyena froze in his place, slowly turning his head to ensure that both his father and Bellow were still sleeping. The two stirred slightly, but made no signs of consciousness. Edaha let out a sigh of relief and began to continue forward, before a strange stench entered his nose. It was a foul stench, and yet it was only slight. It was for that reason that Edaha found importance in it. He paused for a moment, closing his and turning his head in all directions as he sniffed to lock on to the source of the smell. Within seconds, Edaha found the stench's origin; his father, Fenyang. Edaha walked over to his sleeping father and looked down at him with a cocked head. It was perculiar, indeed. Edaha had not noticed the bad smell that stuck to his father when the spoke the day before. The young hyena raised a paw to his chin and tapped it thoughtfully.

"Hmmm…..It's a fairly new smell," Edaha whispered to himself with a nod, "So, it must've rubbed off on himn from somewhere. But where? There's no place in Mamlaka that exhibits such a stench…."

Edaha halted his speech, leaving his lower jaw hanging as he came to a sudden realization.

"No….There is one place," Edaha breathed, "The Grave of Damned Souls. A place that I hoped never to see again….But why would Father go there?...He's hiding something, I know it! But what?"

Edaha took one final glance at his father and Bellow, before turning away and walking out of the den.

"I have to go there," Edaha breathed, "No matter how much I don't want to, I must. I need to know what he's trying to keep hidden. For maybe, just maybe…..It will help me discover what happened to Mother….."

Edaha took a deep breath and ran off to wards the Grave of Damned Souls, the dark morning sky serving as his cover. His heart beat harder and harder with each step he took, before slowing to the point of near stillness as the large grave came into view. Edaha slowed his pace and looked around as he entered the Grave of Damned Souls. It was exactly how he remembered it; dark, dismall, and in complete disorder. The bones lay on top of each other, jumbled together in nearly disturbing way. There was no way of telling where one skeleton ended and the other began. Edaha stopped in his tracks and took several heavy breaths. The sight of the dark graveyard was almost too much for him to bare. When he was younger, he had visited this graveyard many times. Not by choice, of course. For every time that Edaha did something wrong, his father would take him to the Grave of Damned Souls and drop him into

a pit, where he could "reflect upon his sins." Edaha had once gone days in a pit for belching after a meal. There were many things about Mamlaka that Edaha did not miss during his time away. This was at the top of the list.

The scent that Edaha had found on his father grew stronger. Edaha was close. Even if his dark memories of this place told him to turn back, his instincts would not let him. He needed to discover what his father was hiding. Slowly but surely, the young hyena brought one leg forward, the other three soon following in succession. Soon, he regained his nerve and returned to a fairly quickened pace, ignoring the fact that he was now in an area filled with the very pits that he had been left in so many times. One fact that he could not ignore was the fact that the scent continued to grow stronger and more foul. Edaha brought his lip upward to cover the bottom of his nose, weakening the disgusting scent as it slipped into his snout. It was not long before Edaha came upon the source of the smell. From what he could tell, it was coming from a pit that lay several feet away from him. Edaha froze for a moment, before walking over to the pit and peering inside. Edaha was forced to cover his snout with both paws, as the stench shot upward into his nazal cavity. The very smell of the pit caused tears to form in his eyes as he examined the enclosure below. The piles of excrement gave reason to the foul odor. But this did not satisfy the hyena's curiosity. Edaha continued to examine the pit, his eyes widening as they caught sight of a female hyena carcass, old and decayed. His mind raced as he leaped into the pit and ran to the side of the corpse, lifting up it's head to examine what facial features it had left. The young hyena soon narrowed his eyes and placed the corpse's head down gently.

"Thank the gods," Edaha sighed with relief, wiping his brow, "It's not Mother….But then, whose body is it? And why is it here?...There's to be another clue in here, for sure….Maybe if I….wait…."

Edaha's eyes soon came upon a form that lay at the side of the dead hyena's hind legs. A form that had gone unnoticed under the dark morning sky due to the swarthiness of its coat. Edaha paused for a few seconds and cocked his head, before carefully crawling towards the strange creature. The creature was alive, as shown by its steady breathing. However, it was not in good condition. Edaha noted several burns and bruises beneath its dark fur. The young hyena stared in confusion at the dark-furred organism for a few minutes. Edaha had seen many interesting creatures in his travels, but never one that was completely black, before. He wondered what kind of fauna it could be. It was hard to determine, as the strange animal kept it's head burried in its paws. But Edaha felt driven to know. The youn hyena let curiosity get the better of him, leaning over the black being and nudging it with his paw. No sooner had Edaha's paw met its black fur, than the strange beast bolted upward and clamped its jaws around the young hyena's paw. Edaha snarled and pain and swung his arm back and forth wildly in an attempt to free it from the creature's fangs. Soon enough, the black organism released Edaha's paw and flew backward, landing on it's stomach. Edaha rubbed his paw painfully and examined the bite-marks, before looking over at the creature who had attacked him. Edaha's eyes widened with shock upon discovering that it was a hyena cub. Kosa got to his feet and stared at Edaha for a moment, both surprised and confused as his mind began to race. Could this have been the hyena Kosa had been waiting for? Or was it just some stray? He needed to find out, for he could not allow himself to be killed in vein. The black cub crouched low to the ground defensively and snarled at Edaha.

"Who are you?" Kosa demanded, "What are you doing here? Did my father send you? Answer me!"

Edaha examined the black hyena cub carefully, soon noticing that its right arm shook as it tried to maintain balance.

"You're hurt," Edaha stated slowly, taking a few steps forward, "Come here. I can help you."

"Stop right there!" Kosa growled, baring his teeth, "Don't come any closer! Not until you tell me who you are!"

Edaha stopped in his tracks, before sitting down and taking a deep breath.

"Very well," Edaha nodded, "My name is Edaha. I was sent by no one, and came here for the purpose of gathering information on a certain subject. I mean you no harm. I want to help you. But I can only do so if you allow me to. May I?"

Kosa looked Edaha up and down, before nodding slowly. Edaha smiled and walked over to the black cub, raising its right paw with his own. Kosa stared at the hyena strangely as it examined him. It had a few strange features, most notably the small bits missing from the sides of his ears. However, Kosa soon noticed another characteristic of the hyena; Edaha shared a resemblence to his father. Kosa's eyes widened at this fact as Edaha carefully massaged his black shoulder.

"…Mind answering the same questions?" Edaha asked, bring his eyes up slightly to meet Kosa's.

"Huh?" Kosa blurted out in confusion.

"I told you about myself," Edaha stated with a smile, "Now its your turn. Let's start with your name, who put you here, and why? And while we're at it, who gave you these injuries."

Kosa turned his head away from the hyena and looked up at the sky. He did not know why, but part of him wanted to trust this hyena. The black cub took a deep breath and turned back to Edaha.

"It's Kosa," Kosa breathed, pausing for a moment before speaking again, "As for the rest of your questions, the answer is the same; my father."

Edaha widened his eyes in surprise and stared at Kosa strangely.

"Your father?" Edaha asked, "But why?"

Kosa again paused and turned away, this time not turning back to Edaha as he spoke.

"Because I am a sin," Kosa stated coldly, "A sin which he seeks to correct. And for some reason which I'm not even sure heunderstands, he thinks that putting me in this beating me every night will do it."

Edaha smiled slightly and shook his head. He had expected to hear such a thing from a cub of Mamlaka.

"So, how long have you been down here, if you don't mind my asking?" Edaha asked, "A couple of days, maybe?"

Kosa looked up at Edaha, almost glaring at the hyena as he continued to rub his shoulder.

"Eight years," Kosa stated, "Nine, next month."

Edaha's eyes widened with shock. He knew how cruel the creatures of Mamlaka could be, but he had never imagined something like this. The young hyena looked away from Kosa and pulled his paw to his side, now using it to rub the back of his neck.

"How's it feel?" Edaha asked.

"What? To be kept in a hole of my own filth? How the hell do you think it….?"

"Yourshoulder," Edaha corrected, turning to Kosa with a slight smile.

"Oh…" Kosa blinked, straightening his right arm, "Whoa, it doesn't hurt, anymore. How did you do that?"

"I've picked up a few things, in my life," Edaha stated, smiling down at the black cub.

Kosa shook his shoulder a few more times, before noticing Edaha's smile. The black cub cocked his head and took a step forward, staring at Edaha in confusion.

"….Why do you keep staring at me like that?" Kosa asked, completely perplexed.

Edaha quickly shook his head, snapping out of his short trance.

"Oh, I just….." Edaha began, embarrassed, "I've never seen a black hyena before. You're quite remarkable, you know that?"

"Why? 'Cause I'm a freak?" Kosa snapped defensively.

"Oh, no, no, no," Edaha stated a bit nervously, before returning to a normal tone, "You're far from a freak! You're something to behold! And the very fact that you've been down here so long….."

Edaha stopped speaking, now noticing Kosa's wandering eyes as they examined him.

"Oh, now who's staring?" Edaha chuckled, raising Kosa's head up with his paw.

Kosa widened his eyes and snatched his head backward, looking towards the ground.

"….You look like someone I know," Kosa explained after a short pause.

"Really?" Edaha asked in confusion, "And who would that be?"

Kosa took a deep breath and raised his head to look up at Edaha.

"My father," Kosa stated.

Edaha pulled his head back in shock, before lying down in front of the black cub and narrowing his eyes.

"Tell me about your father," Edaha said quietly, raising an eyebrow, "He must know this graveyard pretty well, if he's able to hide you here. Is he of high social standing?"

Kosa allowed himself a slight smile as he lied down on his stomach.

"You might say that," Kosa nodded, "He's the king of Mamlaka."

Edaha froze completely after hearing Kosa's words. His skin turned pale as he stared into Kosa's eyes, suddenly realizing why his instincts had brought him to this place.

"Great Spirits!" Edaha gasped, his heart pounding with shock, "How could I not have seen it before? Mother….you have her eyes….Yes, I'm sure of it…..Is your father Fenyang?"

Kosa jumped backward in surprise, tumbling over the decaying carcass. The black cub slowly paced his paws on the back of the dead body and peeked over at Edaha.

"How did you…." Kosa breathed in complete surprise, "You're from Mamlaka? I thought you were just some rogue!"

Edaha cocked his head, before shaking it slowly.

"I am no rogue," Edaha stated, his entire form beginning to shake with excitement, "Nor do I accept Mamlaka as my home. However, my father resides here. He goes by the name of Fenyang. And if what you say is true, than….I can't believe this! That would make us brothers."

Kosa stared at Edaha strangely, before slowly climbing over the carcass and sitting in front of him, allowing there eyes to lock together.

"I….have a brother?" Kosa asked slowly.

"Apparently so!" Edaha chuckled, looking down at the cub's shocked expression and shrugging, "Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are. Maybe more so."

Kosa lowered his head to the ground, now feeling dizzy despite the fact that the sun was still very low in the sky.

"I…I don't understand…." Kosa breathed, raising his head to look up at the young hyena, "If we're brothers, than how come I've never seen you before?"

"I could ask you the same question," Edaha stated, sitting down and beckoning the black cub with his paw, "Come sit by me. Tell me everything that your past contains. I want to know what kind of a life my father has forced on you. Obviously not a good one, by the looks of it. Still, I want to know everything you can tell me. It might help me with placing together the pieces of something that's been plaguing my mind."

Kosa paused for a short while, staring at his new-found brother. The black cub took a deep breath and walked to Edaha's side, allowing the young hyena to wrap an arm around him. Kosa told Edaha

everything that he could remember. The beating he had received, his plan on gaining revenge, even the soft feel of his mother's fur that filled him with a feeling of bliss. Edaha seemed to find that part especially interesting, as he himself had once felt the same thing. It took a few hours, but Kosa finally finished, explaining to his older brother the events of the night before. Edaha looked into Kosa's eyes, expecting to see tears. None came.

"That's…..That's incredible!" Edaha gasped, his eyes locked in with Kosa's.

"What?" Kosa asked in confusion with his head cocked.

"You've gone through so much," Edaha breathed, shaking his head, "And yet, you still haven't lost the will to live…"

"Not until someone comes here to kill me," Kosa reminded his brother, "I'll accept my death, then."

Edaha stared at Kosa for a moment with his jaw lowered slightly, before speaking again.

"Tell me," Edaha stated carefully, "What's more important to you? That is, which would you prefer? The knowledge that Father paid for what he's been doing, or freedom from this place?"

Kosa blinked with surprise at the question. The black cub thought for a minute, unable to decide. He had never asked himself that question, before.

"I..I don't know," Kosa admitted, "They both seem equally important."

Edaha smiled widely. Kosa cocked his head in confusion as the young hyena stretched his limbs and winked at him.

"It's good that you won't have to choose, then," Edaha stated, "For soon, you shall have both."

If it was possible, Kosa was more confused than ever. Edaha looked up at the sky and sighed.

"The sun's out," Edaha breathed, "I should be getting back to Father before he suspects anything. Farewell, Kosa…my brother."

Edaha leaped upward and quickly climbed out of the pit. Kosa shook his head quickly and called after the young hyena.

"Wait!" Kosa called, "Will we see each other again?"

Edaha turned back to Kosa and raised an eyebrow.

"Of course," Edaha smiled, "We're brothers, aren't we?"

Kosa paused a moment, before shaking his head.

"…Yes," Kosa breathed, "But I don't think it's a good idea for you to come back here. Someone might find out and….and you'd be marked as the brother of a sin…..a sin against nature. It might be better if you just forgot about me."

Edaha stared at Kosa for a moment, before shaking his head and running off. The young hyenas words as he called back were barely audible, but Kosa managed to make them out as, "I couldn't if I tried!" Kosa was not sure whether or not that was a compliment or an insult, but he assumed the former. The black hyena slowly walked back to the female corpse and sat down beside it, rubbing his head.

"'Soon, you will have both,'" Kosa repeated to himself, "What did he mean by that?"

Kosa would learn the meaning of Edaha's words much sooner than he expected. And when he did, he would leave one life behind to pursue another. A task that he would repeat many times during the course of his long life.

Edaha ran inside his den to find his father addressing several missionaries, Bellow perched atop his shoulder. Fenyang raised his eyes from his disciples and looked over at his son as he continued forward slowly.

"Where have you been?" Fenyang asked his son, a hint of annoyance in his tone, "The sun came up hours ago!"

Edaha stopped in his tracks as all eyes in the den turned upon him. However, it was only his father's eyes that he answered to.

"Forgive me, Father," Edaha breathed, bowing down, "I went out for an early morning stroll and…lost track of time."

Fenyang snorted and walked over to Edaha, looking him up and down before turning back to his missionaries.

"I've told the missionaries of the location of the Bloody Shadows," Fenyang stated, "Your description is tinted. I would ask you to lead them, but that's out of the question. Seeing as how you have failed me once before."

Edaha smiled slightly, having expected this. He quickly rid himself of his smile as his father turned back to him.

"I….I understand, Father," Edaha bowed, "A better description….Or guide, perhaps? There are several creatures in the Gray Lands who know of the location of the Bloody Shadows. You could try asking them, since you will no doubt convert it while you're passing through."

Fenyang allowed himself a grin as he shook his head and turned to his disciples.

"You heard 'im," Fenyang stated, "Now, gather your parties and move out. I want the Bloody Shadows under my control by week's end."

The four missionaries gave a salute and ran out of Fenyang's den as fast as they could. The king of Mamlaka watched them go, before turning to his advisor, who remained clinging to his shoulder.

"The Bloody Shadows had no idea who they were messing with," Fenyang smirked, "But how could they have? Their narrow minds could not possibly comprehend my power!"

"Pathetic creatures," Bellow nodded in agreement, licking his fangs, "They shall pay severely. A head for every sin they have committed against us, and they'd still end up owing us….But another nation under our control should do quite nicely!"

Both Fenyang and Bellow threw their heads back and cackled wildly. Edaha smiled widely, but his merriment was brought on by a different factor. A factor that neither Fenyang or Bellow had even considered. Edaha turned away and walked out of the den, leaving his father and the rat laughing like the mad-beasts that they were. The young hyena's smile faded as he remembered his brother.

"Kosa…" Edaha breathed to himself, "You will be saved. But not by Father. No….If anyone is to educate you on the subject of absolute purity, it shall be me. I'll teach you just how disgusting it is. I'll teach you everything that you need to know….Everything that I was deprived of. But first, the two of us must make it through the night. Gods willing, we will."

Edaha looked to a distant hill, then to the Grave of Damned Souls, before sitting down and looking to the sky.

"My path winds more and more with each passing day," Edaha sighed, "I can no longer see my destination. But I'll find my way…..I'll find my way."

xXx

The night sky blanketed the land as Soga climbed atop a large hill, examining the land that stood below him. The mile-long path to Mamlaka was now reduced to about twenty yards, maybe less. Soga smiled to himself as his army came up behind him, sitting themselves down beside him.

"There it is," Soga told the eighteen wild dogs, "Mamlaka, the nation of our enemy….Well, that's enough admiring. Let's go show them a good time, shall we?"

The eighteen wild dogs gave toothy grins and nodded, following Soga as he bolted towards Mamlaka. It would not take long for them to get there. And when they did, all Hell would break loose.

xXx

Fenyang loosened his shoulders and stretched his limbs, looking up at the bright moon from his den as it peaked over the hills of Mamlaka. Bellow quickly leaped onto his master's back and scurried to his shoulder, wrapping a wormy tail around Fenyang's neck.

"Ah, the sun has set!" Bellow breathed merrily, "I guess it's time we paid the aswad another visit, hmm?"

Fenyang smiled and nodded, taking a few steps forward with his servant on his shoulder. No sooner had the king of Mamlaka exited the den, however, than three Disciples of Usafi ran up to him with frantic expressions on their faces. Fenyang and Bellow stared at them strangely as they quivered fearfully. Bellow placed a claw to his chin, before turning to his master.

"I..er….I think that they're waiting for permission to speak, my lord," Bellow whispered in his master's ear.

Fenyang blinked and shook his head quickly, before nodding to his disciples. Bellow had to cling to his master's ear to maintain balance.

"You may speak," Fenyang nodded.

"Father Fenyang!" one of the hyenas cried, "We come with horrible news!"

"What else is new?" Bellow groaned, rolling his eyes.

Fenyang glared at his servant, before nodding to the hyenas to continue.

"We've just returned from our nightly Repentance Session," the second hyena stated, turning around to point out the fresh wounds on his back, before turning back, "And on our way back, we spotted a whole pack of wild dogs heading this way!"

"WHAT?" Fenyang boomed, causing Bellow to stumble backward and fall to the ground, "WILD DOGS? IN MY KINGDOM? ARE YOU SURE?"

"Y….Yes, Father," the third hyena nodded nervously with a gulp, "There's no doubt about it. They were wild dogs."

Fenyang took a few heavy breaths, before roaring in anger and pacing back and forth. Bellow got to his feet and scurried beside his master.

"You don't think they're from the Bloody Shadows, do you?" Bellow asked.

"Of course they are!" Fenyang barked at his servant, "Why else would those disgusting creatures be here? They've discovered our location. I don't know how, but they found us. And since we sent our best missionaries out already…"

Fenyang stopped in his tracks and lowered his head with a heavy sigh. Bellow cleared his throat and approached his master cautiously.

"So….What action shall we take?" Bellow inquired.

Fenyang raised his head and whirled around to face the three hyenas.

"Rally whatever forces we have left!" Fenyang ordered, "I don't care how old, young, or injured they are. I want every disciple in Mamlaka to be ready for the arrival of those despicable rogues! We won't let them take this land. Well destroy them, no matter how many lives we lose! Mamlaka must not fall! Go!"

The three missionaries each gave a salute and ran off to alert the Disciples of Usafi about the oncoming forces. Fenyang glanced down at Bellow, who shrank behind his wormlike tail in fear.

"The sin will have to wait," Fenyang growled in annoyance, "For now, we have more important matters to deal with. Such as ridding our lands of these vermin!"

Bellow came out from under his tail and nodded with a smile, before blinking and glaring up at his master.

"Vermin?" Bellow asked in an offended tone, "Why do you compliment those heathens by comparing them to my kind?"

Fenyang groaned and rolled his eyes, before noticing that something was missing from his den. Rather, someone.

"Where's Edaha?" Fenyang asked his advisor.

Bellow looked around the den, before looking up at his master and shrugging.

"Beats me," Bellow stated, "I haven't seen him since this afternoon….He's probably just out for another stroll. I'm sure he'll be alerted."

Fenyang paused for a moment, before nodding and turning to the outside of the den.

"And even if he hasn't, it's no concern of mine," Fenyang said with a slight smile, "He's served his purpose, already. Come, Bellow. Let us greet these intruders."

Bellow nodded and climbed to his master's shoulder, hanging on tightly as Fenyang ran forward. It did not take long for the king of Mamlaka to arrive at the scene of conflict. Nineteen wild dogs stood snarling at the army of disciples, which contained about thirty-two hyenas not including cubs. The largest of the wild dogs stepped in front of his army and looked over the four lines of hyenas that stepped forth to oppose him and his group.

"Which one of you is in charge, here?" the wild dog demanded.

Fenyang pushed his way through the army of disciples and stared at the large wild dog. The wild dog smiled widely and bowed.

"Ah, his majesty Fenyang the Pious, I presume?" the wild dog snickered, "I am Soga. Leader of this pack and eighth-in-line for the throne of Jasisi Sheikh. But please, feel free to call me the demise of your nation!"

Bellow scurried off of his master's shoulder and ran behind the army, out of harm's way. Fenyang watched his advisor leave, before turning to Soga and smirking smugly.

"They sent the eighth-in-line?" Fenyang asked with a laugh, "Hmm, Subiani must be reallydesperate, eh?"

Fenyang through his head back and cackled wildly, his army soon joining in. Soga's eyes widened as his entire form began to quake with rage. The wild dog swiftly leapt forward and smacked Fenyang in the face with his paw, causing the hyena to stumble backward. The crowd fell silent as Fenyang regained his balance and rubbed his cheek, glaring at the wild dog who had struck him. Soga smiled casually and crouched low to the ground, baring his teeth and claws.

"If you seek an opponent, I am for you!" Soga declared in a rather theatrical voice, "You of such wit. Let us determine if thine fangs gleam as sharp!"

Fenyang stared at Soga for a moment, before smiling and shaking his head.

"I don't think so," Fenyang stated with a smirk, "I won't give you the satisfaction of being ended by me! That pleasure shall go to my disciples…..ATTACK!"

The Disciples of Usafi charged forward at the group of wild dogs, giving Fenyang the chance to slip behind his army and join Bellow. Soga and his group prepared themselves for the attack, leaping forward in all directions and snapping their jaws. They two armies song joined into one cluster of fangs and claws lashing out with the intent to kill. The war had just begun, and already blood was spilt upon the grass, which simply soaked it up as if it were rain water. The grass would be fed much on that night. For the blood would only continue to spill.

xXx

Kosa paced around his pit, awaiting the arrival of his father.

"He's late," Kosa said to himself, snarling in frustration, "That bastard. He's just prolonging it so that I'll suffer more thinking about it! Well, it won't work! I'm stronger than that!"

Kosa sat down and rocked back and forth. In truth, waiting alone with his thoughts on what his father had planned for that night did cause him a bit of grief. The beatings he could take. It was the anticipation of the beatings that was truly insufferable. Kosa once again began to pace, until a large shadow loomed over him in the darkness. The black cub quickly turned around to see an adult hyena standing at the top of the pit.

It's about time! Kosa thought to himself, before getting a better look as the hyena slid down the pit, No….Wait…That's not Father….

Indeed it was not. For even though certain features of his father shone through the darkness, one characteristic revealed otherwise. This hyena had small bits missing from its ears.

"Ed…Edaha?" Kosa asked in confusion, squinting in order to see his brother more clearly.

Edaha gave a quick nod and perked up his ears as he glanced over his shoulder.

"What are you…?" Kosa began.

"No time," Edaha interrupted, "Just tell me now; Does this place hold any meaning to you?"

Kosa stared at Edaha strangely, confused by the question.

"Wha…" Kosa started.

"Just answer me!" Edaha breathed quietly, his tone urgent, "Is there anything here you value?"

Kosa continued to stare at Edaha, this time shaking his head.

"…No," Kosa stated, "….Just you. So I suggest…"

Before Kosa could continue, Edaha leaped forward and picked the black cub up in his jaws.

"Hey!" Kosa gasped in surprise, "What are you doing?"

Edaha made no reply. He couldn't. Not with Kosa in his mouth. Instead, Edaha leaped upward and clung to the side of the pit, slowly climbing out of it. As soon as he was on level ground, Edaha dashed forward, Kosa bouncing around in his jaws. The black cub looked behind him as he was carried off by his brother. The grave receded from view. The pit that had once seemed so large now seemed so small. With each bound Edaha made, Kosa saw a bit of land that he would have never known. The black cub had no idea why Edaha had taken him from the pit. But he was glad that he had. The outside world seemed so beautiful compared to his dark, dreary prison. For once, Kosa saw the moon. A figure that soon became clouded as a swarm of flying creatures flew under it, carrying strange glowing sticks in their hind claws. Kosa had never seen anything like it. All thoughts of Edaha carrying him off were replaced by awe and wonder; two feelings that Kosa would experience many times that night. Not just on that night, but for many nights to follow. The fickle eyes of the gods would smile upon him. At least for a while.

xXx

Soga and five of his wild dogs stood with their backs to each other, keeping their eyes on the hyenas as they circled them. They were all that was left of the Bloody Shadows' invasion party. The rest of the clan had been killed by the disciples. Granted, Soga and his group had taken down many more opponents that night than Fenyang's army. It was the simple fact that they were outnumbered that led to their now perilous situation. Soga's wild dogs growled and barked defensively at the hyenas as they closed in. Soga, however, kept a calm smile on his face. Fenyang stepped forward from behind his army, Bellow atop his shoulder. The large hyena looked over at his forces and raised a paw to halt them. The disciples obeyed and sat down, awaiting Fenyang's next order. The king of Mamlaka turned to Soga and smirked triumphantly.

"It seems we have you at a disadvantage!" Fenyang declared, "But what else could be expected? As I've said before, Mamlaka is the greatest nation to ever come into existence! I suppose rogues like you wouldn't understand. But you will, soon enough. Pledge your lives to me, and maybe I'll let you live!"

The wild dogs growled at Fenyang, except for Soga, who merely laughed.

"Well, if this is how Fenyang the Pious acts in defeat, I'd hate to see you when you've won!" Soga laughed.

Fenyang's eyes widened with anger as he stepped closer to the wild dog.

"You don't get it, do you?" Fenyang sneered, "You're outnumbered. You're surrounded. There's no hope for you. I've won. And you've lost!"

Soga smirked confidently, before throwing his head backward and letting out and ear-splitting howl. The hyenas and the wild dogs covered their ears and winced painfully until Soga had finished. The next sound both armies would hear was the sound of tiny wing-beats as they grew closer and closer. The two parties cocked their head in confusion, before looking to the sky. Their eyes widened, save for Soga's, at what they saw; a swarm of bats hovered above them, burning sticks held tightly in their foot-claws. Fenyang and Bellow dropped their jaws in shock as they slowly brought their heads downward to look over at Soga. Soga smirked confidently and raised his paw in the air.

"Shadows…Never…Lose!" Soga snickered, quickly throwing his paw to the ground.

With that, the bats flew into a frenzy, dropping the burning sticks on the ground below and swarming around the Disciples of Usafi, biting and clawing at every inch of them. The flames spread quickly around both armies as Fenyang, Bellow, and the hyena swatted at the bats with their paws. As Soga raised his paw again, the bat flew back into the air and vanished into the darkened sky. Fenyang wiped a bit of blood from his brow and looked around him. Mamlaka, the very land that he made so powerful, was slowly being engulfed by flames. The fire spread faster and faster with each passing second, causing the hyenas to scramble in all directions. They did not get far, as the flames soon caught up with them. Within seconds, their bodies were swallowed by the flames, their screams of agony being of no aid to them. The only reason why Fenyang and Bellow had avoided the flames was because he was close to Soga at the time. But that would not matter for long. The flames soon began to close in on Fenyang and the wild dogs, as well. Bellow sank behind his master's head fearfully. Fenyang turned to Soga, baring his teeth and claws in rage as the wild dog cackled wildly.

"You….You despicable piece of filth!" Fenyang snarled, "How dare you? Mamlaka is greater than the Bloody Shadows! It always has been, and it always will be! You cannot win!"

Soga smiled casually, turning his head to one of the wild dogs as he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Uh, boss?" the wild dog asked, "How are we gonna get out of this? The flames are closing in!"

Soga offered nothing more than a shrug and turned back to Fenyang.

"There's no hope for you," Soga snickered, "I've won. And you've lost!"

Fenyang stared at Soga with a deep hatred burning in his eyes. Soga gave a maniacal laugh as the flames grew closer. Within a few seconds, he, Fenyang, Bellow, and the wild dogs were covered in the flames. The king of Mamlaka, his advisor, and the wild dogs ran around, screaming in pain as they rolled around in the grass. As Fenyang dared to open his eyes, he saw that Soga had disappeared. The king growled lowly, before falling to the ground, his burning rat at his side. Fenyang closed his eyes and fell into a state of unconsciousness from the pain, as did Soga's army. The latter would not survive the night.

But the former would. And although he would be changed dramatically, he would remain exactly the same.

xXx

Edaha dropped Kosa at his side as he reached the top of a large hill, before turning around and spitting to get the foul taste of the dirty cub out of his mouth. Kosa looked around him, his eyes soon closer on a distant view; an inferno that blazed over the spot that Mamlaka once stood. Edaha wiped his mouth and walked over to his brother, sitting down at his side. Kosa's jaw remained ajar. Edaha stared at the fire with little emotion.

"The once great nation of Mamlaka," Edaha breathed, "Now going down in flames, along with our father. Hmph. Pretty appropriate, if you ask me."

Kosa looked up at his brother and cocked his head.

"Mamlaka is….?" Kosa began, unable to finish due to his shock.

"Gone," Edaha nodded, "At least for now, anyway. Something always manages to rise up from the ashes, doesn't it? But we can sleep peacefully knowing that our bloodline will no longer have anything to do with it. And if it does come back, it will only be until I find a way to end it forever. Will you miss it?"

Kosa stared at Edaha for a moment, before shaking his head.

"How could I?" Kosa sighed, "I barely knew it."

Edaha smiled widely and patted his brother on the head.

"Then there is still hope for you," Edaha chuckled, taking one final glance at the flames, "I'll get youaway from this place."

Edaha began to walk away, before noticing that Kosa was not following him. The young hyena turned to his brother and raised an eyebrow. Kosa looked up at him and pointed to the distant flames.

"…Edaha?" Kosa asked reluctantly, "Did you…know that this was going to happen?"

Edaha stared at Kosa for a few seconds, considering how to answer. The young hyena allowed himself a smile as he nodded.

"I did," Edaha stated proudly, "In fact, I was part of it!"

Kosa's eyes widened at Edaha's statement.

"But how did…" Kosa began.

"On the way," Edaha smiled, beckoning Kosa with his paw, "I'll tell you the whole story."

Kosa cocked his head and took one step forward, before running over to his brother and walking at his side. Edaha smiled widely, before picking up Kosa and placing him on his back. Kosa let out a gasp, a bit surprised by the action. He soon calmed, however, as Edaha glanced over at him with a smile.

"Let's see….Where to begin?" Edaha asked himself as he walked, "Well, I was trained at a very young age to become a shining example of purity. Trained by Father, so you can imagine how lovely that was."

Kosa smiled slightly, finding humor in Edaha's statement. It was the first time he found much humor in anything. Edaha gave a satisfied smile upon seeing Kosa's reaction, before continuing his story.

"I was taught to think of the Bloody Shadows as an evil place," Edaha continued, "And Father made it quite clear that he wanted me to lead the assault on it, and would force me if he had to. Which he did. The day I turned eleven, he had me kicked out of the clan. He told me that he would not allow me back in until I had found the Bloody Shadows."

"That's horrible!" Kosa gapsed in shock as he leaned over his brother's shoulder, "He kicked you out when you were eleven?"

"He was a complete nutcase," Edaha shrugged, forcing Kosa back onto his back, "Always has been, always will be. Even in death. He's just not right. I mean, he threw you into a pit when you were zero! Kept you there for eight years. I'm surprised you put anything past him!"

Kosa opened his mouth to speak, before closing it. Edaha smiled and raised his head up thoughtfully.

"It's getting late," Edaha stated, "I'll make a long story short. My party and I searched for the Bloody Shadows, came up with nothing, and ended up in the middle of nowhere. We were captured by a group of assassins who heard that he'd been looking for their land. I escaped and was pursued by a wild dog. We fought, I won, and when I was captured again, he suggested that I be freed and put under his supervision. Weird, I know….."

Kosa yawned loudly as his eyelids began to droop. Edaha smiled and shook his head.

"I can continue this story tomorrow, if you're tired," Edaha stated.

"No, no, I'm fine. I just…." Kosa stated tiredly, before yawning again, "But I guess it wouldn't be so bad if you skipped to the end. Really, I want to know what you did to destroy Mamlaka."

Edaha grinned casually and shrugged.

"Alright," Edaha chuckled, "That's my favorite part, anyway! Okay, me and a group of assassins from the Bloody Shadows…"

Kosa opened his mouth to speak.

"I'll explain later," Edaha stated.

Kosa closed his mouth.

"So, me and the assassins came up with a plan," Edaha continued, "They'd do all the fighting. All I needed to do was come up with a plan to make it easier on them. After all, only twenty assassins could be spared at the time. I soon devised a plan that was destined to succeed. Now, try to keep up, I'm quite proud of myself on this one! I'd go in claiming to Father that I had found the location of the Bloody Shadows, when in reality I would give him the location of an area crawling with assassins. I knew that I could convince Father to send his best men out there as unknowing fodder. I expect they'll be arriving any day now. Arriving, but not leaving. Anyway, that was basically my whole part. Getting rid of the best that Malaka had to offer! For with them long gone…."

"There was no one to defend Mamlaka when the assassins came!" Kosa concluded with a wide smile, suddenly invigorated.

Edaha nodded. Kosa leaned forward and embraced his brother's neck.

"Woah!" Kosa exclaimed, "That's incredible!...You're incredible!"

The young hyena smiled proudly, before remembering what the black cub had told him of his past. Edaha stopped in his tracks and turned his head, grabbing Kosa from his back and placing him on the ground.

"No," Edaha shook his head, smiling down at his brother, "What you did is incredible."

"Huh?" Kosa asked, "But I didn't do anything. You actually found a way to get rid of Father. All I did was get beaten up a lot."

Kosa lowered his head to the ground. Edaha quickly raised it with his paw and looked Kosa in the eye.

"And what amazes me," Edaha said quietly with an adoring smile, "Is that no matter how horrible it became, how severe the beatings, you never lost your will to live. You set your mind to a cause and never gave up on it. And you were even ready to die for your cause! You're the prime example of a martyr, Kosa. And martyrs are very hard to come by. Outside of stories, that is….In all honesty, I don't think that I could have lasted nearly as long in those conditions. Your really are something to be cherished, you know that?"

Kosa stared up at Edaha, now feeling something strange forming beneath his eye.

"But….I'm a sin against nature…." Kosa stated showing Edaha his arm, "Not like…."

"Kosa," Edaha interrupted, placing his paw over the small cub's mouth, "The fact that your coat is black has nothing to do with who you are. It's who you are on the inside that counts. And obviously, your soul is the most powerful I have ever encountered!...You were put through so much and have no emotional scars as a result…It is nothing short of remarkable! So young, and already showing such immense signs of greatness! You're a miracle, Kosa. I don't care what anyone else thinks of you. If I'm to be the brother of a sin, then I'm going to be a proud brother of a sin!"

Kosa continued to stare at Edaha, the strange feeling in his eye increasing. Suddenly, a drop of water fell at Kosa's feet. Followed by another. Then another. It did not take the black cub long to realize what the source of the water was. It was coming from his eyes. For the first time in many years, Kosa was crying. The strange thing was, he had no idea why he was shedding tears. He did not feel sad, nor hurt. But despite the fact that Kosa found no explanation, his tears continued to flow. Edaha smiled and pulled his brother close to his leg, stroking the black fur on his back affectionately as Kosa's tears flowed into his leg.

"There, there," Edaha said softly, "There's no reason to cry, anymore. All the horrors you've faced are behind you. And you'll never have to revisit them. From now on, it's just gonna be you, me, and the world. We'll travel everywhere together. And the two of us will never be alone, again!...I lost my cubhood long ago. But there's still hope for you to have yours. And I'll see to it that nothing gets in its way! Not superstition, not prejudice, nothing! You'll see. Life's about to get a whole lot better…for both of us."

Kosa did not know why, but this only increased his tears. The black cub actually felt relieved and happy, yet his tears still flowed. However, they soon came to a stop, as Edaha rocked back and forth with the black cub in his paws, humming quietly. Kosa's eyes widened at the tune. He had heard it somewhere before, but he could not place where. The black cub wiped his tears and looked up at Edaha, who smiled down at him. It was then that Kosa realized where he had heard that melody.

"Mother…she used to hum that song, didn't she?" Kosa aksed.

Edaha's smiled faded as he sat up straight and turned away.

"Y….Yeah," Edaha nodded, looking towards the sky, "That she did."

Kosa paused for a moment, before walking in front of Edaha and looking up at him.

"I don't remember a lot about her," Kosa admitted, "Just her scent, the feel of her fur, and that song. It's not much, but it's all I have of her."

Edaha blinked a few times, before smiling down at Kosa and pulling him to his side.

"Her name was Tii," Edaha breathed, "And she was a great mother. Very kind, and caring….Even when I did wrong, she always defended me from Father….And she usually ended up hurt because of it….I think that may have been why I went along with Father's idea of absolute purity. I just couldn't stand to see her in pain, anymore…..It's hard to believe she lived in Mamlaka her whole life. She was…different from

everyone else. She treated everyone she met with compassion. She cared very much for me. And I'm sure she did for you, seeing as how she gifted you with her eyes. I miss her very much…..Wait….Why am I talking about her like she's dead?"

Kosa cocked his head slightly, before shrugging.

"Like you said, nothing can be put past our father," Kosa sighed, "He may have killed her. It is a bit suspicious that we were both told different stories of what happened, after all."

"Hmm..." Edaha nodded, placing a paw to his chin, "That is strange, no doubt about that. But I'm sure that he didn't kill her."

"You are?" Kosa asked, leaning his weight against his brother, "How can you be sure."

"Well," Edaha replied slowly, obviously choosing his words carefully, "I don't see what she could have done to make him want her dead. I mean, he thought that you were the scum of the earth. And you're still alive, aren't you?"

"….Um…..Good point," Kosa smiled, placing his paws back on the ground as he stared up at his brother, "Your pretty smart."

Edaha smiled down at his brother and patted his head.

"And you've got quite the logical mind, yourself!" Edaha chuckled, before a thought occurred to him, "You know, they say two hyenas are better than one. I was planning on searching for Mother, anyway. Perhaps we can do it together."

Kosa's eyes lit up as he looked to his brother with a wide smile.

"Together," Kosa nodded, "We'll find Mother together."

Edaha smiled down at his brother once more, before turning his gaze to a grassy area that lay a few yards away.

"That looks like a good place to settle in for the night," Edaha stated, "Come, Kosa."

Kosa nodded and began to follow his brother. Suddenly, Edaha stopped in his tracks, casuing Kosa to bump into his leg and fall backward.

"Oh, sorry," Edaha smiled apologetically, turning around and helping his younger brother back to his feet, "I was just thinking. Kosa's not a very good name for you. I mean, you're not a sin, so why be called one? Especially by your own brother. No, I don't like it at all."

Kosa paused for a moment, before yawning.

"Yeah, I can understand that," Kosa shrugged, "But it's not like I can change my name."

"On the contrary," Edaha smiled, pulling Kosa onto his back as he walked to the grassy patch, "Hyenas change their names all the time. What, did you think they were born, "Blood-Nose" or "Slit-Fang?"'

"I haven't met many hyenas," Kosa explained, "Just you and Father….Come to think of it, I haven't really met any other creatures."

"Oh," Edaha nodded, his tone showing a bit of regret, "Sorry. What I meant was, you can choose to be called whatever you want. And if we're going to be together, you'll need a proper name. Anything in particular that you'd like me to call you?"

Kosa thought for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I wouldn't know," Kosa breathed sadly, "My knowledge of names is limited to insults."

Edaha stopped walking and plopped himself on the ground, causing Kosa to bounce into the air and land on Edaha's stomach as he turned over.

"Hmm, that's too bad," Edaha breathed tiredly, "We'll have to think of something. In the meantime, I'm content to call you "Brother." Would that be alright with you?"

Kosa stared down at his brother, before leaping forward and embracing Edaha's muzzle.

"That's be alright, I guess," Kosa nodded, before letting out a loud yawn, "At least until we come across a…yaaaawwwaaaahrwaa…better name."

Edaha smiled do himself and lifted Kosa upward, before placing him on the ground at his side.

"Until then," Edaha smiled, placing a paw over Kosa's back, "Sleep now, my brother. You'll need your rest. For tomorrow shall serve as the first day of the rest of our lives."

Kosa let out another yawn and nuzzled into his brother's fur, smiling widely.

"Goodnight, Edaha," Kosa breathed, before quickly drifting into a state of sleep.

For once, Kosa was able to sleep among fur that had not rotted. It produced much warmth. It was a familiar feeling for the black cub. A feeling that he had lost long ago. And little did Kosa know, Edaha had lost that feeling, as well. But they found that feeling once more, just as they had found each other. Edaha glanced at the black cub that now slept peacefully at his side, before looking up at the star-lit sky and smiling contently.

"My path no longer winds," Edaha breathed, "I have found my place….And it is with my brother."

With that, Edaha lowered his head to the ground and closed his eyes, soon falling into a deep state of slumber. The two brothers spent the remainder of that night beside each other, broad smiles on their faces. After spending mere hours with each other, they both felt that they knew the other better than anyone in the world. Their destinies had become intertwined. Not by the gods, but by their own free will. They would come to teach each other a great many things. They would become closer to each other with each passing day. All they had was each other. And for Kosa and Edaha, that was more than enough.

xXx

That's all, for this chapter! Hope you enjoyed. And please don't go complaining about how it "would have been better is I didn't reveal that Fenyang survived" It wouldn't have, trust me. I wrote it, and I know. Well, please review.